Chocolate Confections
by Red Kat
Summary: Collin Lockheart was a Chronos assassin. This is her story. Along the way to living a free life, she meets many people, including the Black Cat and Co. I can't think of anything else to put here, so here you go. Just read it, I suck at summaries.
1. Chapter 1

**Black Cat: ****Chocolate Confections**

Disclaimer: _I do not own "Black Cat" and, sadly, never will. _

**Chapter One:**

I'm Collin Lockheart. I look about 19, but in reality, I'm actually 23. I have orange eyes that constantly have bangs hanging in front of them. My short black hair that I cut a few inches above my shoulders is almost always messy- looking. I'm average height and kinda slim, according to my employer and friend, Riley Queen.

I have two jobs. The reason is simple: I need a steady income, but I have to have a job that keeps me from getting rusty. Hence why I work in a chocolate shop and work as a sweeper on the side. Speaking of which, my cake is done.

Pulling the devil's food cake out of the oven, I quickly put it on the counter to let it cool. While I waited, I pulled out the chocolate frosting I'd made earlier along with the fresh, dark chocolate shavings. I inhaled deeply; chocolate is one of the best smells in the world. The cake was finally cool enough, so I took it carefully out of its pan and proceeded to decorate it.

Ten minutes later, I put the cake on display in a tiny glass case on the counter.

"Nice job, Collin! You learn quick, considering that I just taught you how to make our chocolate shop's special kind of cake two days ago," commented Riley Queen, the owner of the chocolate shop. Over the past couple of years, I'd become friends with Riles.

She let me work part time for full pay and didn't make me be a waitress, instead teaching me the chocolate trade and having me work all the hard shifts. We reached this ultimatum when I said that I would not wear the frilly, cutesy waitress uniform. Plus, I'm not exactly people friendly. So we worked it out. Riles also knows that I sweep on the side, so she's not too hard on me, as her brother used to be a sweeper.

"Thanks, Riles," I said, grinning cheerfully. Riles and my cat are the only ones who have actually seen me grin. As you have probably guessed, I don't grin often. When Riles is feeling kind, she says I'm 'aloof'. When she's not, I am 'beyond anti-social.' I don't necessarily disagree with that, either. Honestly, I do try to be friendly, I really do. But...it has a tendency to not work out. So, all in all, it's better that I stay in the kitchen.

"Well, looks like it's time to close up shop," said Riley. "Do you think you could clean up shop tonight on your own? Pleeeeeease? I've got a date," Riley said, pleading.

"Sure, no problem," I said, smiling slightly at her pleading tone. "Have a good time!" I called after her as she grabbed her purse and jacket. Riley waved as she went out the door, smiling.

"She looks ridiculously happy," I mused, nonplussed. I shrugged and continued cleaning up.

About an hour later, I pulled on my own coat and grabbed my backpack. I headed for the door. Turning around, I gave the place one more once over, my eyes noting exactly where everything was. Closing the door behind me, I used my keys and locked up. I gave the door a last jiggle to make sure it was secure, and then started my walk home.

"Should I go after a bounty tonight? Nah," I said as a huge yawn nearly cracked my jaw. "I want to go to bed."

I stopped then, my eyes narrowed. My gut was telling me something was wrong. Eyes darting everywhere, I slowly turned in a circle, watching. Then I heard it: the sound of running footsteps.

I focused my ears, discerning three pairs of feet. One was the prey, the other two the predators. A kid who looked to be about 14 ran past me then, his face and body a blur. Two men were coming after him. They were ignoring me, focusing on the teen ahead.

Bad move.

I slid my foot in front of the man in the lead. He saw it too late. Slamming into the ground, he cursed and started to pull out a gun. I kicked it out of his hand. The second guy got there, but he already had his gun out. Man Two tried to go around me and his partner, but I got in front of him and kicked his gun out of his hand, like I did his partner's.

In one graceful move, I scooped up their guns.

I stuck out my tongue and said impishly, "Too bad! You shouldn't have ignored the Shadows."

The boy they'd been chasing had long run away, and hopefully, the guys didn't know where he lived.

"You bitch!" they yelled after me. I had already slid back into the shadows and was silently running, the bells on my wrist and ankle tinkling softly.

"You won't get away with interfering! Not with Chronos!" yelled Man One, aiming an extra gun at my retreating body. It was pointless. I was already out of range by the time the shot rang out, echoing in the night.

_"Chronos? What deity did I piss off so badly?"_ I wondered, getting a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. _"I'll have to be on the lookout tomorrow."_

"Well, that was fun," I said to myself as I slipped into my apartment. "And I just got two extra guns!" I said to my cat, Miles.

Miles was a stray cat I'd found in a dumpster. He was a fighter, missing an eye and part of his ear with a crooked tail. I think that's why I took to him so fast. At first, all I did was feed him, but I woke up one day and found him asleep on my pillow, next to my head. So I guess he adopted me, as he's been with me ever since. I've been feeding him more, so his black fur has become glossy and sleek.

I took a quick shower, less than six minutes. I'm not one of those girls who preen themselves in front of a mirror for hours. The most I do is brush my hair, and I never bother with makeup or dresses.

Towel-drying my hair, I sat down on my couch and flicked on the TV. Pulling out my gun Gemini, my pride and joy, I began to clean her. I didn't use her today, but it's a ritual that helps me think clearly and calm down. I was feeling antsy after those two men had mentioned Chronos.

After cleaning Gemini, I started cleaning my two new guns. I was horrified. Had those two never cleaned their guns? It was disgraceful; I bet they couldn't shoot worth a damn, either. Not that it mattered; I had yet to meet anyone who could match me.

And I am not being arrogant. I just haven't. Oh! You're probably wondering how I became so good, huh?

Well, here you go:

I was apprenticed to the Chronos Numbers for eighteen years. I was their assassin. A cute, innocent little girl can get just about anywhere and, if trained correctly, can do just about anything. I'm not gonna go into that.

I was an official Number for all of one year. I was given my number when I turned eighteen. I also developed a nickname: Shadowcat. I had become the Black Cat's replacement. I became No. XIII. The XIII is tattooed just under my breastbone.

The day I turned nineteen, I ran away. I just couldn't take it; I didn't want to kill people anymore. I was tired of being told who I was supposed to be, what I was supposed to do. I wanted to be free. So I ran.

That was about four years ago. I've been avoiding Chronos pretty successfully and I've only ever run into them once. I managed to beat the Guardians without killing them. I won't delve into that encounter, either.

The only thing I allowed myself to keep from Chronos was my gun. Gemini. That gun has been the one constant in my life ever since I received her. Sad to say, she's my friend. I will never use her to kill again, though. Never.

And that is the end of the explanation.

Getting up off the couch, I put my two new guns in a drawer where I keep my other weapons. I headed for my bed. As I slid under the covers, I placed Gemini underneath my pillow, where it was easily accessible. Setting my alarm for five AM, I pulled the covers up to my chin and burrowed into my blankets. Thinking about bounties yet to catch, I drifted off to sleep.

****

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.

Mumbling profanities at the annoying noise, I pulled out Gemini and shot in the direction of the noise. Curling back up with a small smile on my face, I almost fell back asleep. My eyes suddenly snapped open and I threw the blankets off. Seeing my alarm clock shattered on the floor, Gemini's bullet embedded right in the clock's center, I groaned.

"That's the seventh one this month!" I wailed, pulling at my hair. "Dammit," I muttered, "Now I've gotta buy a new one. Again."

Sighing once more, I got up and took a quick shower. Once out, I quickly changed into my sweeper uniform, which consisted of black cargo pants, a bullet belt, and a black t-shirt. Going over to my weapons drawer, I pulled out Gemini's holster and strapped it to my upper thigh. Holstering Gemini, I also pulled out my whip and attached it to my belt. Whips came in handy if you didn't want to hurt the bounty.

Walking into the kitchen, I pulled open the fridge and grabbed a small bottle of milk. I sat down at my table and drank my milk while looking through my list of bounties. Nothing is better than a cold glass of milk, except maybe a piece of chocolate cake to go with it.

"Night Kuchiki, hm? $100, 000 bounty. Not bad," I said, looking at his picture. The file I kept the Wanted posters in rested on the table at my elbow. "Wanted for... three murders? But, he's so young, no older than 15." I chuckled ironically at that. "Well, that explains the high bounty."

Kuchiki had black beads strung throughout his messy, bright red hair and his brown eyes reminded me of chocolate. No doubt about it, he was definitely a pretty boy. The expression on his face though...it reminded me of the one time I'd ever seen the famed Black Cat, Train Heartnet. Dangerous, feral eyes. At the same time though, he had a soft smile on his face, softening those hard eyes. He also looked vaguely familiar. I tried to remember, but still couldn't place him. And I'm not usually bad with names and faces. Looking at the poster again, I saw that the bounty had been placed by the Chimera Company. Hmmm...

Once again, I studied the face. "Yeah, same kind of expression."

I don't know why the Black Cat stuck so vividly in my memory, he just did. One of those things I don't understand, nor want to understand.

"Yes," I continued, still looking at the picture, "this one. He looks like a challenge." As I said it, I knew it would be true. Plus, maybe I could figure out where I'd seen the kid.

I started to grin in anticipation.

"Pleeeeeaaasssssse?" begged Riley. "Pretty please with sugar on top?"

I sighed, rubbing my hand over my face. "Tell me why again?"

"It's rush hour, I'll pay you double, and our usual waitress, Yuki, is out sick and couldn't make it today," she rattled off as her eyes pleaded with me. "I'll never ask you to do it again," she pleaded. "Just this once."

Sighing, I gave in. "Don't blame me if I accidentally chase off customers."

Riley threw her arms around me saying, "Thank you so much. Me and Kylie wouldn't have lived through this lunch hour." She looked so grateful it was almost disgusting. She handed me the dreaded waitress uniform; I glared at it balefully.

Sighing again, I said, "You owe me." With that I went into the changing room and put on the uniform. It was covered in frills and made me look...girly. Shudder. Have I mentioned that I hate dresses?

Entering the kitchen, Riley turned to look at me.

"Oh my gosh! You look so pretty! That looks really good on you! I always forget how pretty you are," she said. Squealed actually. I rolled my eyes and grabbed the paper and pen combo for taking orders. Riley's chocolate shop is also part cafe, so the lunch crowd is huge.

I left the kitchen and began taking orders. I tried to smile a lot; I think I succeeded, since no one ran away screaming in fear. I walked over to a new arrival.

"Hello, welcome! What would you two like?" I asked, a small smile on my face. At least, I smiled until I saw who it was.

It was Chronos Number VII, Jenos. He looked up and replied, "I'll just have a latte." He turned to the girl with him and asked what she wanted.

"Just a glass of water, please," said Jenos's blond companion.

_"Dieting,"_ was my first thought.

"All right, I'll be back with your order shortly," I said, trying to smile cheerfully. I turned, thanking my lucky cat figurine that he hadn't recognized me.

"Wait, do I know you? You look familiar..." he asked, trailing off. I turned and faced him, hoping the dim light would hide my orange eyes.

"I don't think so, sir," I said, smiling and quickly walking off. I handed off the order to Kylie and headed to the back to talk to Riles.

"Hey, Riles," I said quietly.

"What is it, Collin-kitty?" she asked, smiling at the use of her nickname for me.

"I've got to get out of here. A Chronos Number I know is seated in the cafe. He hasn't recognized me, but it's only a matter of time," I said, my voice, eyes, and demeanor had changed. I was no longer Collin Lockheart. I was Shadowcat, ex-assassin.

She nodded once. "Go out the back." I turned to leave.

"Be careful," she whispered after me as I ducked out the door.

Back in normal clothes, I darted out into the street, my gun strapped to my thigh and my whip attached to my belt. I'd go back later to get my other stuff. I was walking through the streets, fast enough that I wouldn't be easily caught up with, but slow enough to not look like I was hurrying.

_"Well, it was bound to happen eventually...I'm gonna miss Riles, though,"_ I thought.

There was a festival going on farther down the street.

_"No wonder the lunch crowd was so huge,"_ I thought, gazing at all the people. My eyes suddenly narrowed. Before I could dart deeper into the crowd, my elbow was grabbed, a pressure point touched. I was guided off into an alley. The person let go of my elbow.

"Hello, Jenos," I said quietly. I'd known right away who'd grabbed me. Not that it took much to know, but I was friends with Jenos back when I was with Chronos. I'd know him anywhere.

"Hey, Collin," he said casually. "So. This is where you've been holed up." He put on his glove. Before I realized what he was doing, I had wires circling my arms, my waist, and my legs. I shifted slightly and felt blood trickle down my limbs.

_"Sharp..."_ I thought.

"I've got orders, Collin," he said quietly.

"To kill or catch?" I asked.

"Catch. They want their pet Kitten back."

"Their Kitten died a long time ago," I replied.

His eyes casually checked out my body. "So I see," he remarked, his eyes on my wider hips and, ahem, larger chest. The last time he'd seen me was when I was a skinny 19 year-old.

"You haven't changed at all. You're still a pervert," I said, my voice deadpan.

He laughed again. "I really have missed you, you know," he said, eyes serious again. Jenos walked up to me and gently touched my cheek. I pulled my head back.

"Just because I am no longer underage, it doesn't mean I like you that way," I informed him.

Jenos sighed. _De_jected and _re_jected. He looked almost comical; if he was a dog his tail would've drooped. I almost laughed.

"You've gotten faster," I commented idly. He looked at me. "But you're still not good enough to catch a Shadow," I said smirking.

I twisted and jumped back into the nearby shadows. The wires cut me, making me bleed on my arms and legs. He didn't sense me until it was too late.

"Sorry Jenos, but I'm _not _going back." I pistol-whipped him with Gemini. He fell, almost slowly. Kneeling down, I slapped a K.O. patch onto his neck, right over his jugular. It was a slow release patch (which I'd invented); it would make sure to keep him unconscious for about nine hours.

I holstered Gemini and slipped back into the festival crowd. I snagged a beanie off of someone's head. It was black with a pair of cat ears attached. I slid it on, disappearing before the person who I stole the hat from could see me.

It was now dark. I slid through the open window Riles had left open for me. I went into the employees changing room and grabbed my bag. I slipped back out the window and into the night.

Leaping rooftops under the full moon wasn't difficult. It also reminded me of the many jobs I'd done for Chronos on nights like this. I blocked it out. During those jobs, I'd been younger than sixteen.

On the rooftop of my apartment, I opened the trapdoor on top and quietly went down the stairs and back to my rooms. Once inside, I grabbed my duffle bag and started throwing my stuff into it. It's pretty pathetic, but all of my belongings actually fit into my duffle and backpack. Opening the fridge, I grabbed a bottle of milk for the road.

Back in the living room, I shoved the couch over and kicked up a floorboard. Inside was where I'd been keeping my money and valuables. Not that I had any. Valuables, I mean. The only jewelry I had I wore constantly: small bells on my right wrist and left ankle; they kept my bounties from being too easy. I also wore a choker necklace with a heart-shaped padlock. A lockheart. A boy I'd been friends with outside of Chronos had given it to me. Unwillingly, my mind flooded with memories.

Flashback

_I was fourteen years old, my birthday had been just that day, not that it had been celebrated in any way. It didn't bother me, as I'd never had it celebrated anyways. _

_I sat on a bench, swinging my legs while I waited. I wasn't left waiting for long._

_A boy, also fourteen, came running up. He had bright green eyes and black hair. He was cute, I'd noticed, face flushed from running and grinning goofily._

_"You were almost late," I commented as he flopped onto the bench. He was close enough that our legs touched, making me blush a little. He didn't know that I was with Chronos. In fact, I'd never told him anything about me, or my past. And he never asked._

_Why had I never warned him?_

_We'd met when I was sitting on the bench when it was nearing twilight. He'd tried to convince me to go home, that it wasn't safe for a girl to be alone at night. I brushed him off, being utterly rude and "aloof." _

_Instead of leaving like I wanted, he sat next to me. He said that he would sit there until I went home. We didn't talk at first, but you couldn't keep that boy quiet for long. _

_For some reason, I kept visiting that bench at the exact same time. He always showed up. We...became friends._

_That was why when he flopped next to me on the bench, we started talking, like normal. When I stood up to go, he pulled me back down next to him. His face was extremely close to mine then. He smiled gently and leaned forward. His lips met mine and something was pushed into my hand._

_He stood up and grinned. "Happy Birthday, Collin."_

_I sat there, shocked, as he walked away into the night._

_Why hadn't I run after him?_

_He turned towards me and waved, still smiling. That was when the shot rang out. I stared, dazed as my one and only friend dropped to the ground. _

_I screamed then, jumping up and running to him. I dropped to the ground next to him, turning him over and pressing my hands against the wound. His warm, innocent blood poured over my hands._

_"Don't you dare do this to me, Ren," I said though my tears. It was useless. His eyes had long glazed over, emptied of everything that made him Ren. "Damn you," I whispered, tears pouring down my face now._

_Suddenly, I was yanked up by my arm. _

_"Look what happens when you make friends when you sneak out," said Chen, my Time Guardian. In his hand was a gun, still smoking._

_"You didn't have to kill him," I choked out, glaring at him, my eyes still raining tears._

_He slapped me. "Don't make me remind you that you are Chronos's property. Our kitten, our shadow. Unless you want everyone you ever meet to suffer the same fate as that boy, don't make me chase after you."_

_Gripping my arm again, he pulled me into the back of his car. I gave one last look at Ren._

_It was only hours later that I realized that I still had the thing that Ren had pushed into my hand. I hadn't even washed my hands to remove his blood._

_I looked at the thing in my hand. It was a black leather band with a silver heart-shaped padlock dangling from it. On the inside of the band was written:_

_"To Collin, the only girl to have locked her heart away. _

_PS: Only I have the key."_

_I broke down then, cradling the necklace to my chest. I stayed that way for the rest of the night. I decided to never get close to anyone again._

End Flashback

I pulled myself out of my reverie with difficulty. I had to get a move on. I threw my backpack onto my shoulders and grabbed my duffle. I slipped out the door and went down the stairs. I went to the manager's door and slid my key into an envelope and put it under the door. Then I left.

I walked the ways to Chocolate Confections. Once there, I hopped up onto the roof and lay down. I didn't want to leave Riles without saying goodbye. So I'd wait till morning. Staring up at the moon, I slowly drifted off to sleep, telling myself to wake up before the shop would open.

I carefully opened my eyes. The town was just starting to wake up, people getting ready to open their stores. Knowing Riley would be awake and in the kitchen by now, I jumped down from the roof, startling a few birds. I went inside through the back door.

Riley was getting ready to make truffles for the day; the cafe _always _had fresh chocolate.

I stepped inside and said, "Riles."

She turned around and took in the duffle on the ground and the bag on my back.

"I always knew you'd have to leave, but I'd hoped we'd be able to be friends for a bit longer," she said quietly, eyes starting to tear up.

"I'll still be your friend, just... not near you all the time," I said lamely. "You'll always be my friend, Riles." I smiled at her, really smiled. She smiled back, a friend to a friend.

Riley suddenly tackled me into a hug. I nearly fell over. Gingerly, I hugged her back.

"I'd better go," I said, voice muffled by her hair.

"All right. I know. I wouldn't want you caught on account of me. Try to keep in touch?" Riles asked, sniffling and wiping her eyes.

"I'll try," I replied.

She nodded and turned away, going back to her truffles.

"Be careful," I said quietly. I placed something on the counter next to her and slipped out the door.

When Riley turned around to see if Collin had really left, she found Collin's lucky cat figurine on the counter. She smiled and placed the cat on a shelf where it could be seen from where she worked.

-**End Chapter One**

AN: i apologize for dramatizing parts of this, but hey, im a girl, drama is my middle name, lol

(it's actually elizabeth, but hey, why be picky?)


	2. Chapter 2

**Black Cat: ****Chocolate Confections**

Disclaimer: _I do not own "Black Cat" and, sadly, never will. _

**Chapter Two**

Leaping across the rooftops once again, I paused, realizing that there was something extra in my bag. I slung my backpack to the ground and opened the flap. I leapt back as something black hurtled its way out of my bag. Blinking in surprise, I realized that it was Miles. He sat there, tail twitching angrily as he glared up at me.

"Oh, you want to come? I'm sorry; I didn't think that you'd want to stick with me. I apologize for offending you," I said quietly as I bent down to stroke his fur.

After a few more seconds of not responding, he made a sound from deep in his throat and began to purr. It seemed I was forgiven.

"Do you want to ride in the bag or on my shoulder?" I asked him as I stood up and surveyed the area around me for potential threats out of habit.

For answer, he leapt up onto my shoulder, twining his crooked tail around my neck.

"All right. Let's go," I said. "Hold on," I warned as I began leaping from roof to roof.

I was going fast, heading for the train station. I was planning on heading to the town where Night Kuchiki was last spotted. He was a mighty big bounty and I figured that I needed something to occupy myself as I hid from Chronos members.

Upon reaching the train station, I bought a ticket and hopped onboard. I must have made it just in time because a few minutes after Miles and I had boarded, the train chugged to life. We were on our way.

"Ah! Here we are. The great town of **[Insert actual town from manga]**,"I said to my shoulder, which was where Miles still sat.

I grabbed my duffle and backpack from the overhead compartment and stepped off the train. Gemini bumped reassuringly against my leg as I strode through the town.

Remembering my last visit to this town was as a Number, I self-consciously rubbed at my No. XIII tattoo. Shaking myself out of my temporary daze, I continued my stroll down the street, keeping an eye out for a cheap motel. I couldn't afford to stay in this town for too long, otherwise I'd get tracked down again. I'd need to keep jumping around the country for at least a year. Sighing, I realized that I would be living out of my duffle for a while.

Recognizing one of the many shops along the sidewalk, I stopped and smiled. It was a sweeper's cafe. A place where anybody looking for information regarding a bounty was almost always assured a bit of golden information. Rubbing one of Mile's soft paw pads as he sat on my shoulder, I walked in and immediately felt more at home.

I felt a few curious glances, but ignored them, as I sensed no malice in them. The tables and chairs were filled with people from all walks of life. There were ex-gang members, ex-cops, fathers, mothers, and even a few teens spread around the room, eating, talking, listening, watching, and (of course) drinking. The bar was less crowded, so I made my way over to it and slid silently onto the stool.

"What would you like, Miss?" asked the barman as he walked over while drying a glass.

"A bottle of milk, if you have it," I said.

Miles hopped down gracefully onto the counter, looking around with his one eye curiously. As I spoke, he sent a glare in my direction.

"Uh, better make that two," I said, looking at Miles.

The barkeep laughed, then went to go find us some milk. I stroked Miles black fur thoughtfully as I stared at the wall with all the bounties listed. Sensing someone near me, my eyes narrowed, though I didn't move.

"Is this your cat?" asked a feminine voice from beside me. "He looks like a fighter."

"He is a fighter," I laughed. "Though he still likes to be coddled," I said as I glared playfully at him.

I turned to look at the speaker and barely managed to keep my jaw from dropping. The woman next to me was undeniably older than me by at least five years, but she was beautiful. She had scarlet red hair held up with hairpicks, fair skin, and full lips. She was also very tall. Normally, I don't notice what people wear, but this woman made it impossible to _not _notice. She wore a pale yellow and red plaid pleated skirt and a bright red turtleneck shirt covered by a black leather jacket that accentuated her... appendages. Encasing her no doubt dainty feet were a pair of black heels, which increased her height by at least two inches. The overall effect was somewhat daunting and made me feel horribly outclassed.

The woman laughed a rich laugh that spred throughout the crowded room, drawing a lot of the men's attention. She hastily covered her mouth, though a few giggles still escaped.

"My name is Scarlet Alta," she said, extending her perfectly manicured hands.

As I shook her hand, I noticed that her hands were smooth and uncalloused, except for the spots between her long, slender fingers.

"Are you a sweeper?" I asked curiously.

"Yup!" she said cheerily. "Bet you can't guess what my weapons are, though," she added, a glint of challenge in her bright blue eyes.

"Hmmm," I said, thinking as I analyzed her once again, taking note of the strange callouses.

Her whole being seemed to be intent on preciseness, including her clothes and the way she moved. Her movements, which, while graceful, were also precise. Her perfect clothes were designed for freedom of movement and agility. I suddenly smiled.

"You use blades disguised as hairpicks," I said simply. "Easy to carry, silent, and fashionable. All you have to do is make sure that they're sharp."

This time, her jaw dropped. She wasn't very good at hiding her facial expressions.

"Wow, I've never had anyone guess right off! How'd you know?" she asked, taking a seat next to me, intent on getting an answer.

I simply shrugged.

"Just details," I replied as the barkeeper finally returned with the milk.

Happily, I popped of the top of my bottle and took a swig. Noticing Miles glaring at me once again, tail thrashing, I popped open his bottle, too. I blinked.

Calling to the barkeeper again, I asked, "Can I have a bowl or something?"

"Of course," he replied, smiling as he turned around and grabbed a bowl off the shelf behind him.

Sitting it down in front of me, he heard another man at the other end of the bar and, smiling once again, left to see to the man.

I poured the milk into the bowl and slid it in front of Miles. He allowed Scarlet to pet him as he lapped up the milk.

"What I wouldn't give for some chocolate cake right now," I sighed.

"Really? I know where to find the best kind," said Scarlet enthusiastically. "I'll take you there... Say, what's your name anyways? You never said," she said curiously.

"Hmm? Oh, Collin Lockheart. I'm a sweeper," I said unnecessarily, wiping the milk mustache off with my sleave.

_"She's at least five years older than me, but she acts like a bubbly fourteen year old," _ I thought, amused, as she suddenly bounced up from her stool.

I looked over at Miles. He was cleaning what was left of his face, as he had finished his milk as well.

"Why is he missing an eye?" Scarlet suddenly asked.

"I'm not sure. I think he got in a cat fight when he was a kitten or something. The wound is pretty old."

Scarlet reached into her handbag and pulled out a blood red silk scarf. She proceeded to rip it into a narrower strip.

_"She's pretty strong. Ripping cloth barehanded is hard," _I thought.

"Miles, come here," she ordered.

Miles looked at me. I nodded, an idea of what she was doing already forming. Miles stepped up to Scarlet and stared up at her.

"Here you go, Miles," she said, tieing the narrow strip of blood red silk across his mutilated eye. "There. Now you look like a dashing pirate cat," she said, giving a nod of satisfaction as she put her hands on her hips and surveyed her work.

Miles shook his head around at first, trying to get it off, but then seemed to adjust. I stood up and Miles immediately leapt up onto my shoulders, digging his claws into my shirt to maintain his balance. His once broken tail assumed its customary position around my neck. Telling Scarlet to wait a minute, I went over to the bounty wall and looked for information concerning Night Kuchiki. Seeing nothing, I walked back over to Scarlet, concealing my disappointment.

"How about that cake?" I asked Scarlet, already licking my lips.

She smiled and grabbed my arm, pulling me back out into the street, mingling with the rest of the people of the town.

"Say, Scarlet? Do you know of any cheap hotels that are in easy walking distance from the sweeper cafe?"

We were sitting on a park bench eating our chocolate cake that Scarlet had payed for. It wasn't as good as Riley's back at Chocolate Confections, but it wasn't bad. The cake was a little bit on the dry side, but hey, I didn't pay for it.

"A few. Why?" she asked, taking a dainty piece of the cake with her fork before puting it into her mouth. The way she handled her plastic fork made it look like she was using the finest silver.

"I need a place to stay for a few days. I'm not going to be staying long enough to want to rent an apartment, but I need a place to sleep that's cheap. I'm a bit low on funds at the moment," I told her as I stared blankly at my slice of cake, trying to work out how much money I could afford to spend.

I had quite a bit saved up, but I was saving it for an emergency. To me, my current situation didn't constitute as an emergency. It was just mildly uncomfortable.

"Why don't you just stay with me? I have a base in this town, not to mention a few contacts that you could use to find info on your bounty. We could partner up," said Scarlet, offering Miles a small piece of cake.

I had told her about my search for Kuchiki during our walk to find the cake shop.

"Really? You wouldn't mind?" I asked, surprised. "I have quite a few people who... don't like me. I could end up destroying your base and/ or getting you killed," I said carefully.

Scarlet waved a hand dismissively. "What are friends for? Besides, I have extra money. I can afford a few repairs. I'm also a sweeper. Death and danger comes with the job."

I blinked at her. "But we just met a little over an hour ago."

She looked back at me and smiled that radiant smile of hers. "Doesn't matter. I like you and I trust you. You don't seem like a bad person, not the way you treat that cat," she said laughing. "Aside from the fact that I like helping people, you look like you could use a few friends. I'm just helping you to grow your list. You also seem like you could use a partner with a lot of resources at her disposal."

Again, she smiled. I honestly didn't know what to make of this person. She was a sweeper, but she trusted people so easily. It amazed me. And what amazed me more, was that I trusted her as much as Riley, even though we'd just met. I wouldn't mind partnering up with this woman.

I smiled crookedly at her, making my decision.

"All right then. Where's this base of yours?" I asked, standing up.

Miles hopped off the bench and to the ground at my feet. Scarlet also stood. Exiting the park, we dropped our trash into the trash bin and continued on our way, Miles walking between me and my new partner.

-**End Chapter Two**

AN: sorry people, but i got too lazy to try to find the name of a town from the actual anime/manga =P i do apologize, lol

PS: please send me feedback if u like this, otherwise, i probably won't update it until kingdom come, lol


End file.
